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OPM Director Resigns

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, Dale Cabaniss, resigned on Tuesday, March 19, 2020. Morale and performance of staff at OPM had improved under her short tenure, which was only five months. Ms.Cabaniss had deep experience with federal personnel issues. Her employees respected her. She was also respected by both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, where she had served as a top Senate aide overseeing civil service issues.

The effect of her departure is unknown, but it is worrisome. Performance at OPM had recently significantly improved, particularly the handling of disability retirement applications.

The Director resigned with no notice and will be replaced on an acting basis by her deputy, Michael Rigas. As reported in the Washington Post on Wednesday, March 20, 2020, her resignation was thought to be the result of interference with her work by the White House. Most recently, she was sidelined in making decisions about how the federal workforce should deal with the Coronavirus. It is also reported that the White House interfered with staffing decisions that were Director Cabaniss’ to make.

Sadly, this appears to be another example of President Trump pushing out talented, experienced people from leadership positions in the government, which will likely result in government agencies providing lower quality services to the country. President Trump had already fired his first Senate approved OPM Director, Jeff Tien Han Pon, in October 2018, after Director Pon had resisted Trump’s proposal to dismantle the agency. Interestingly, Trump’s plan had little support in Congress, and it was abandoned, at least for now.

If you would like to arrange a free consultation to discuss your federal disability retirement other disability benefit matter, please contact me or call 301.563.6685.

About Andalman & Flynn, P.C.: Andalman & Flynn, P.C.serves clients throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia, offering compassionate, quality service and results-driven representation across a broad range of legal areas. With a concentration on disability benefits lawand family law, the firm focuses on cases that impact the rights of everyone, and they’re there for clients when responsive legal help is most critical. For more information about Andalman & Flynn, please visit http://www.andalmanflynn.com, or call 301.563.6685.

The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details.